Looking for a holistic oncologist

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry OP, I just realized we all jumped to give advice without understanding the most important aspect of your cancer.

If you don’t mind sharing, what stage is your cancer and what is the prognosis if you were to follow the standard treatment?

Metastatic breast cancer. Diagnosed five years ago. I’m doing well but now oncologist wants to start radiation as there seems to be a mild uptake on the last CT scan. I don’t want to that route.

What do you think will happen if you decide to treat metastatic breast cancer with alternative therapy, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry OP, I just realized we all jumped to give advice without understanding the most important aspect of your cancer.

If you don’t mind sharing, what stage is your cancer and what is the prognosis if you were to follow the standard treatment?

Metastatic breast cancer. Diagnosed five years ago. I’m doing well but now oncologist wants to start radiation as there seems to be a mild uptake on the last CT scan. I don’t want to that route.

Woukd you continue with the traditional maintenance medication?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry OP, I just realized we all jumped to give advice without understanding the most important aspect of your cancer.

If you don’t mind sharing, what stage is your cancer and what is the prognosis if you were to follow the standard treatment?

Metastatic breast cancer. Diagnosed five years ago. I’m doing well but now oncologist wants to start radiation as there seems to be a mild uptake on the last CT scan. I don’t want to that route.

What do you think will happen if you decide to treat metastatic breast cancer with alternative therapy, OP?

I’m curious about why she woukd for sage targeted radiation (as someone currently in treatment for BC) but ultimately it’s OP’s choice and I’m sure she’s well-educated about the risks and benefits.

[Anonymous]

*why she would forsake ^

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry OP, I just realized we all jumped to give advice without understanding the most important aspect of your cancer.

If you don’t mind sharing, what stage is your cancer and what is the prognosis if you were to follow the standard treatment?

Metastatic breast cancer. Diagnosed five years ago. I’m doing well but now oncologist wants to start radiation as there seems to be a mild uptake on the last CT scan. I don’t want to that route.

What do you think will happen if you decide to treat metastatic breast cancer with alternative therapy, OP?

Callous response. You really think OP doesn’t understand what will happen?

OP, I apologize for myself and on behalf of every person that jumped the boat to ridicule the idea of alternative treatments or push the ultimate idea of standard medical treatment considering your situation. I am sure you are looking at all your available options. I wish I had the information you are looking for. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I work in oncology and see a number of patients travel to some of these "holistic" places in the southwest and in Mexico to essentially pay huge fees for standard of care chemo type treatments plus dubious "alternative" methods like vitamin infusions. Please just do your due diligence before investing a lot of money into anything. Would definitely second recommendations to add a naturopath to the team, or be seen at the GW integrative center if local. I'm sorry for what you've gone through and wish you many years of stability.

[Anonymous]

Radiation is very rough OP. I fully understand why you'd be hesitant. Maybe see if Proton therapy is an option for you? Also are you depressed? How's your support structure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Radiation is very rough OP. I fully understand why you'd be hesitant. Maybe see if Proton therapy is an option for you? Also are you depressed? How's your support structure?

Really? Not as rough as chemo. That's what my friends who went through both have told me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry OP, I just realized we all jumped to give advice without understanding the most important aspect of your cancer.

If you don’t mind sharing, what stage is your cancer and what is the prognosis if you were to follow the standard treatment?

Metastatic breast cancer. Diagnosed five years ago. I’m doing well but now oncologist wants to start radiation as there seems to be a mild uptake on the last CT scan. I don’t want to that route.

What do you think will happen if you decide to treat metastatic breast cancer with alternative therapy, OP?

Callous response. You really think OP doesn’t understand what will happen?

OP, I apologize for myself and on behalf of every person that jumped the boat to ridicule the idea of alternative treatments or push the ultimate idea of standard medical treatment considering your situation. I am sure you are looking at all your available options. I wish I had the information you are looking for. Good luck!

NP. Metastatic breast cancer patients can live 10+ years with conventional treatments. It is a different animal than many other end-stage cancers. There are a ton of options out there. I had stage 1 triple positive 18 months ago and there are stage 4 people in my support groups who have been living full lives with "terminal" cancer for almost 20 years. New treatment options come out all the time and when one thing stops working, they go to the next. Even metastatic BC is no reason to give up on actual doctors and fall prey to woo. Integrative oncology or complementary treatments are a good balancing act, but going full alternative even with metastatic BC can cost years of life. The alternative board on breastcancer.org was such a disturbing mess of misinformation and crackpot theories like "cancer is a fungus." People are often NOT well-informed about the risks and do not truly understand their disease when they go down these paths.

OP, I hope you are able to find options that are satisfying and work for you.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to all you showed me kindness.
Cancer is not an easy journey. I hope none of you or your loved ones are ever touched by this monster.
And if you ever do, I hope you find supportive and kind people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Radiation is very rough OP. I fully understand why you'd be hesitant. Maybe see if Proton therapy is an option for you? Also are you depressed? How's your support structure?

Really? Not as rough as chemo. That's what my friends who went through both have told me.

They’re both hell. Trust me. But they’re better than the alternative…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Radiation is very rough OP. I fully understand why you'd be hesitant. Maybe see if Proton therapy is an option for you? Also are you depressed? How's your support structure?

Really? Not as rough as chemo. That's what my friends who went through both have told me.

They’re both hell. Trust me. But they’re better than the alternative…

Radiation to the breast was not hell - that was the easy part, IME. But I guess it depends upon the location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Radiation is very rough OP. I fully understand why you'd be hesitant. Maybe see if Proton therapy is an option for you? Also are you depressed? How's your support structure?

Really? Not as rough as chemo. That's what my friends who went through both have told me.

They’re both hell. Trust me. But they’re better than the alternative…

Radiation to the breast was not hell - that was the easy part, IME. But I guess it depends upon the location.

Similar thoughts from me. It certainly was not ideal, but it was manageable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Radiation is very rough OP. I fully understand why you'd be hesitant. Maybe see if Proton therapy is an option for you? Also are you depressed? How's your support structure?

Really? Not as rough as chemo. That's what my friends who went through both have told me.

My Aunt would've chosen a year of Chemo vs. Radiation. She felt like her chest was on fire, smoldering on the inside vs. chemo which just made her tired. She didn't get nauseous and could've cared less about her hair. Her hips did ache once her bone marrow kicked back in, but that was brief and tolerable. Everyone has a different story based on too many factors to list. I'm glad radiation wasn't bad for you, but know it is hell for many.

OP how is your support structure? Do you have family/friends nearby?